Vehicle-top.



T. SWAN.

VEHICLE TOP.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 12. 1913.

1 1%., 1 Mo Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

4 SHEETSSHEET I.

Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

4 SHEETS SHEET 2.

T. SWAN.

VEHICLE TOP.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 12. ms.

T SWAN.

VhHICLE TOP.

APPLICATION HLED MAY 12. 1913.

1 178 1 5%, Patented Feb. 22,1910.

4 SHEETS SHEET 3' WSSQS v INVNTOR.

: Me M T. SWAN.

VEHICLE TOP. APPLICATION men MAY 12. 1913.

Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

4 SHEETS -SHEET 4.

mwes es NVEN'TOR.

B M M airman @TAUFE% rad ance oniiioii.

THOMAS SWAN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T0 FISHER CLOSED BODY COMPANY,OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

VEHICLE-TOP.

Application filed May 12, 1913.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS SWAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Vehicle Tops, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings. I

This invention relates to tops .for automobile bodies.

While certain features of construction are of more general application,the various features of the invention set. forth herein are adaptablefor a coup or limousine top of the demountable type, and more especiallyto a top of the knockdown variety, the component parts of which may beconveniently assembled and applied to the cooperating parts of the bodyand may also be conveniently disassembled and packed away in a box orother receptacle for facility of storage.

Among the general objects which my invention is intended to secure arethe following: (a) flexibility, enabling the demountable top to beapplied to all bodies of a particulartype or model without the necessityfor making any changes or alterations in the equipment of the top or inthe body irons or other parts with which such type of body is provided;(b), simplicity of construction, whereby a top of this kind may beproduced at a cost which will insure a wide market and which top can beassembled and disassembled without the necessity for especially skilledlabor; (c) efliciency in construction and operation whereby a toppossessing the foregoing advantages is adaptable to all the ordinaryincidents of use; (d) another very important feature of my demountabletop is the latch operating device which is attached to the demountabletop or housing and is adapted to operate the latch lever on the insideof the door.

I accomplish the foregoing and other objects to be set forth hereinafterby the construction illustrated in the drawings accompanying and formingpartl1ereof.wl1erein- Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a bodyof an automobile having my demountable top thereon. the top being of thecou t e; Fi 2 a'bottom lan view of P yp a: p

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 22. rate.

Serial No. 766,873.

the separable panels or sections of the demountable top; Fig. 3 a detailin perspective illustrating the connections between one of the sidesections or panels and one'of the body irons with which the vehicle bodyis provided, the parts being separated; Fig. 4 a sectional detailshowing the arrangement of the foregoing parts when connected; Fig. 5 adetail in perspective illustrating the manner in which the rear end of aside panel and the front end of the rear panel are connected togetherand are also connected to and supported by one of the body irons, theparts being separated; Fig. 6 a detail in section showing the said partsin connected relation; Fig. 7 a perspective view of the door panel,showing the manner in which'this panel is applied to an adjacent paneland to the door of the vehicle; Fig. 8 a sectional detail through thehinge connection between the door panel and the adjacent panel; Fig. 9 adetail in perspective illustrating the connection between the cover andthe vertical panels of the top, the parts being separated; Fig. 10 adetail in section of a connection be tween the cover and one of thevertical panels of the top: Fig. 11 a side elevation of a vehicle of thetouring car type having a limousine top of my invention applied thereto;Fig. 12 a detail in elevation; Fig. 13 a detail in section, and Fig. 14a bottom plan view of the connection between the detachable top and oneof the body irons of the car shown in Fig. 11.

In carrying out my invention. it is designed that the top shall beapplied to and largely supported from the so called body irons withwhich the bodies of cars are usually equipped. such body irons servingto support the light canopy type of top which is employed in mild orsummer weather. l vhile these irons are applied to approximately thesame parts of all bodies of the same model. there is. nevertheless, somevariation in the distances therebetween. One of the objects of thisinvention is to so construct the cooperating parts of my coupe orlimousine type of top as to enable it to be applied to any of the bodiesof a certain t pe or model and to accommodate these differences in thelocation of the body irons. In the construction illustrated here n thisresult is secured by providing the bottoms of the side panels withreinforcing irons (the term iron in this connection being herein usedgenerically to indicate a reinforcing and supportingv device of rigidmaterial), the said panels being connected to and supported from thebody irons by the said bottom irons and the said bottom irons beingprovided with slots whereby they may be bolted or otherwise suitablysecured to the body irons, the slots being of sufficient length toaccommodate the variations in position of the body irons on variousbodies of'the same model.

Describing by reference characters the various parts illustrated herein,1 denotes the body of a vehicle, the body in this instance being thebody of a roadster or two-passenger vehicle. This body is shown asprovided with a door 2 on the right hand side thereof, the steeringwheel 3 being on the left hand side, as is now customary. At the frontof the body there is provided'a dash board 4, while the portion of thebody at the rear of and adjacent to the door 2 is provided with a bodyiron 5 having a threaded end 6 and projecting laterally outwardly fromthe body and adapted to receive a thimble or eye at the lower end ,ofthe frame for the light or summer top. The opposite side of the body isprovided witha similar iron, similarly located.

At each side of the back, the body is provided with another body iron 7having a socket 8 at its outer end, the socket being provided with atapered bore 8* (see Fig. 6) which is adapted to receive thecorrespondingly tapered part of the ordinary top frame. Two irons 7 willbe provided, located on opposite sides of the back. While the locationof the irons 5 and 7 is substantially the same in all bodies of the same'modeL-there is sufficient variation in this location to make itnecessary to provide a certain degree of flexibility in the matter ofthe attachment between the demountable top-and such irons. In theconstruction illustrated herein, this flexibility is secured in thefollowing manner: A rear panel A, the side panel B and the side panel Care each provided gt the bottom With the reinforcing strap or ironreferred to hereinbefore. The iron a for the bottom of the back panel Ais a strap which extends beneath and is secured to the bottom of said Ipanel and is provided with forwardly curved ends a. each having at itsend an elongated slot a The iron a does not exextend quite to the endsof the panel A thereabove, the lateral ends of the back paneloverhanging and projecting beyond the ends of the strap, as shown at afora purpose to be explained hereinaftery. The bottom of the side panelB is provided with an iron the rear portion 6 whereof is a comparativelynarrow strap and the front portion b whereof is of considerably greaterwidth than the rear portion, for a purpose to be explained. The strap 6has its rear end curved, as shown at 6 to correspond to the curvature ofthe rear end of the side panel thereabove, and is provided at its endwith an elongated slot b Adjacent to the junction of the parts 6 and b,an elongated slot 1) is provided. The panel B differs from the panels C,C, C in that the three last-mentioned panels jointly constitute a sidepanel the-parts whereof are separable whereas the panel B is in onepiece One of these side panels C corresponds to the rear portion of thepanel B and is provided therebeneath with the iron 0 which is identicalwith the iron 6, being provided with a curved end portion a and anelongated slot 0 at the rear end thereof and an elongated slot 0 nearthe front end thereof.

The door panel C of the demountable housing corresponds in width to thedoor 2 of the body and is carried thereby. For the purpose of securingit to the door body, it is provided at the bottom with an inwardlyprojecting ledge c, the'body of this ledge being preferably protected bymetal.

Near its lower end, the panel C is provided with the .door openingleveror latch operating means 0 This lever or latch operating means isprovided at its inner end with a fork 0 which is adapted to engage thelatch lever 0 projecting upwardly from the door2 (see Figs. 2 and 7).This lever 0 is pivoted to the demountable housing in a 'slot therein toswing in a horizontal plane as shownin Fig. 2. It will be seen that thislatch-0perating means is removable from the inside latch lever when thedemoun'tabl housing or top is removed as the latch operating meansengages the latch lever 0 only by means of the forked end 0 of the latchoperating means 0 straddling the top of the latch lever This latchoperating means 0 therefore makes a very convenient way of operating theinside latch levers which are quite generally used on open automobilebodies. This does away with the necessity of having a latch lever on theoutside of the lower door panel as has been customary heretofore withbodies upon which a demountable housing has been mounted. Owing to thecurvature of the door 2 and the location and construction of the hinges9, it will be necessary to leave a space between the front of the doorpanel C and the rear of the panel C as will be hereinafter explained,and this space is provided with a pliable covering C which is fastenedto the panels 0 and C in any convenient manner.

The panels C and C are each provided at its bottom with an inwardlydirected ledge having a reinforcing iron 0 at its bottom. These ledgesand the ledge at the bottom of the section B which is covered by theiron I) support the sections C and C on the top of the door 2 and on thetop of the side panel 1 of the body, while the ledge provided with theiron 6 supports the front of the side panel B from the front of thecorresponding side of the body 1.

The iron plates at the bottoms of the inwardly projecting ledges areprovided with downwardly extending lugs 12 and 0 respectively whichproject within the top of the body 1 and may be secured to the ribs 11thereof, as by means of screws, one of which is indicated at 0 The doorC may be fastened to the door 2 by means of angular straps 0.

Owing to the curvature of the door 2, the opening of this door and ofthe door panel C attached thereto will produce a. vertical movement ofthe said door panel as well as a movement toward the panel C In order toaccommodate this movement, I provide a special form of hinge, shown inFigs. and 8. 0 and 0 denote a pair of hinge butts applied to theadjacent edges of the panel C and of the door panel C, respectively.Each hinge butt is provided with a vertically extending socket 0projecting into the space between the opposed edges of the panels C andC 0 denotes a pair of angularly arranged rods each having a down turnedend 0 inserted into the socket 0 The upper ends of these rods projectinwardly and toward each other. One of them is provided with a body 0threaded onto its end and having a lug 0 The other is provided with abody 0 swiveled to the end thereof and having a pair of lugs 0 adaptedto receive therebetween the lug 0 (see Figs. 7 and 8). These lugs arepivotally connected by means of a pin 0. By this construction, there arefive points of pivotal connection between the upper end of the doorpanel C and the upper end of the panel C these pivotal points beingprovided between the downwardly bent ends 0 of the rods 0 and thesleeves 0 betweeneach of the bodies 0 and 0 and the corresponding end ofits rod, and between the lugs of said bodies. By thispivotal=connection, an eflieient hinge connection is provided betweenthe upper ends of thedoor panel C and the side panel C which connectionaccommodates the peculiar movements of the door andat the same timeunites the same firmly with the section C In addition to the panelsdescribed. the top is-provided with a front panel D which may beconveniently supported from the dash board by means of straps 12 whichmay depend therefrom and be detachably secured to the front and rearbases of the dashboard, as by means of screws. The panel I) may bedivided transversely to provide a door 01 at its upper end, the lowerend of the door being adapted to swing outwardly and inwardly. Braces clmay be provided to support this door in its outwardly swung or openposition.

E denotes a cover which may be applied to the tops of the panels A, D,inclusive, to complete the demountable top. The cover E is convenientlyapplied to the tops of the various panelsand is provided at its innerand its outeredge with a skirt 6, which skirts surround the upper endsof the panels. This cover section is provided, within the skirts, withdowel pins 6 adapted to enter apertures e at the upper ends of the saidpanels (see Fig. 9). Certain of these pins 6 are intended to conductcurrent from a suitable source through cooperating conductor sockets eto supply the lamp 6 (see Figs. 9 and 1). In addition to the dowel pins,suitable straps depend from the cover E and may be secured to the upperinner edges of the body panels by means of screws e said straps beingcovered by the inner skirt 6 (see Figs. 7, 9 and 10).

In applying the panels of the top to the body, the lower end of the rearpanel A telescopes closely over the upper end of the rear of the body.\Vith the construction and arrangement of body irons as illustratedherein, the ends of the iron straps a are brought beneath the sockets Sat the ends of the body irons 7 The side panels B and C. are alsoapplied to the top of the body with the rear ends of the irons Z) and cbeneath the sockets 8 and with the slots 0 beneath the slots a \Vith thetype and loca-- tion of irons shown in Figs. 5 and 6, it is desirable tosuspend the bottoms of the back and side panels at some distance belowsaid irons. For this purpose, I insert a bushing into the socket 8, saidbushing having a frusto-conical upper end 13. which is adapted to enterand fit the tapered socket 8, and a cylindrical lower end 14. Thisbushing is provided with a bore 15 which is adapted to receive astandard bolt 16:

This bolt is inserted through a washer 17,.

through the bushing, and through the slots a 0 (or 5 as the case may be)and the nut 18 is set up to clamp the parts in place. Near each end. therear panel A is provided with an upwardly projecting pocket (1. which isadapted to receive the iron 7 therewithin. the pocket being closed bymeans of plates (1 and (17, preferably of sheet metal. detachablysecured to opposite sides thereof.

The front of the panel C and the rear portion of the panel B aresupported from the irons in the manner shown more particularly in Figs.3 and 4. The panel C will be selected for purposes of illustration, itbeing evident that the description of the selected portion of this panelwill apply equally well to the panel B. The panel C is shown as providedwith a pocket 0 immediately above the slot 0 in the strap 0. The bodyiron or goose-neck 5 projects through the pocket 0 and through the eye 0of a bolt 0 having a threaded shank c projecting through the slot 0*.The slots 0 and 6 permit of such adjustment of the eye bolts c as may benecessary to accommodate the variations that will occur in the locationof the body irons 5 in different bodies of the same model. The pocket 0may be conveniently closed by means of a plate 0 having an aperture 0whereby it may be slipped over the threaded end 6 of the body iron 5,the cover plate being retained in place by means of a cap threaded ontothe end (3 and engaging the outer surface of this cover plate.

The demountable top as illustrated hereinbefore is of the coupe type andis provided with connections which are adapted for a certain typeof-body iron. In Fig. 11 I have shown a demountable top of the limousinetype, which is applied to a larger body of the five or seven passengertype. Some of the body irons with which these larger vehicles areprovided are so constructed and arranged as not to lend themselves tothe style of connection illustrated in Figs. 3 and L and 5 and 6. Suchiron, as illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14., comprises a bolt 20 projectinglaterally from the top of the body and having its outer end directedupwardly and provided with an eye 21. \Vith such an arrangement, it willbe difficult to apply the form of connection shown in Figs. 3 and 4 andFigs. 5 and 6. 1*urthermore, it will be extremely" in'con-- venient. ifnot impossible, to disassemble the top without breaking or injuring someof the connecting parts. For the purpose of preventing such action andto accommodate my demountable top construction to the iron shown herein,I provide the bottom of the corresponding top section or panel F with astrap 7. The bottom of the panel F will be provided with an upwardlyprojecting recess or pocket f, the top and side walls of which will becovered by the strap f. In the strap 7 there is a pair of slots 7'through which the bodies of screws f may extend and which screws serveto secure a strap 7 to the panel F. The strap f is provided with acurved or recessed portion 7 adapted to fit around the laterallyprojecting portion 20 of the body iron and thereby secure-the panel F tosaid iron. \Vhen it is desired to remove this section, it is necessaryonly to rev .ive the screws 7, whereupon the section may be lifted fromthe iron 20.

By the constructions illustrated and described herein, it will beapparent that I have provided a demountable top which posscsses therequisites of flexibility, ease of assembling and disassembling,cheapness of construction, and efficiency of operation that willaccommodate it for all ordinary incidents of use in connection withbodies of the same model. Vhile I have necessarily described myinvention in detail, I do not propose to be limited thereby to suchdetails of construction except as such limitation may be renderednecessary by the prior state of the art.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:-

1. The combination of a vehicle body, body irons carried thereby, ademountable top the rear end whereof is adapted to telescope over theend of the body and having therebeneath a metallic strap having slotstherein, and means extending through said slots and connecting the saidstrap and the top to the body irons.

2. The combination of a vehicle body, body irons carried thereby, ademountable top comprising a rear panel or section and side panels orsections, said sections being provided with rigid straps therebeneath,and adjustable connections between said straps and said irons.

3. The combination of a vehicle body, body irons carried by the rearportion of said body, a top comprising a rear and side panels orSections, the said sections having reinforcing straps at their bottomsand the adjacent ends of the straps of the rear and side sections orpanels being slotted. and means extending through such slots andconnecting the straps and the section's supported thereby with the saidirons.

4. The combination. with 'a vehicle body iron, of a demountable topcomprising an end and a side section. the end section being providedwith a reinforcing strap at its bottom having a slot in the end which isadjacent to the side section and the side section being provided with areinforcing strap having a slot in the end which is presented toward therear section. one of said straps terminating short of its section andthe other strap projecting beyond its section. the section having theformer strap being adapted to receive therebeneath the projecting end ofthe strap carried by the other section and having a pocket above the endof its strap for the reception of the body iron, means extending throughthe slotted portions of said straps and connecting the same to the bodyiron, and a cover for said pocket.

The combination. with a vehicle body iron. of a demountable topcomprising an end and a side section. the end section being providedwith a reinforcing strap at its bottom having an aperture in the endwhich is adjacent to the said section and the side section beingprovided with a reinforcing strap having an aperture in the end which ispresented toward the rear section, one of said straps terminating shortof its section and the other strap projecting beyond its section, thesection having the former strap being adapted to receive therebeneaththe projecting end of the strap carried by the other section and havinga pocket above the end of its strap for the reception of the body iron,and means extending through the apertures of said straps and connectingthe same to the body iron.

6. The combination of a vehicle body,

body irons carried by the rear portion of said body, a demountable topcomprising a rear section and side sections, the rear section beingprovided with a reinforcing strap therebeneath the ends of whichterminate short of the ends of said section and said section beingprovided with upwardly extending pockets above such strap ends for thereception of the body irons and the side sections being provided eachwith a min forcing strap therebeneath having an end projecting beyondits rear end, and means extending through the overlapping ends of theside and rear straps and securing the sections to the bodv irons. 7. Thecombination of a vehicle body, body irons carried by the rear portion ofsaid body, a demountable top comprising a rear section and sidesections, the rear section being provided with a reinforcing straptherel'ieneath the ends of which are slotted and terminate short of theends of the rear section and being provided with upwardly extending.pockets above such strap ends for the reception of the body irons andthe side sections being provided each with a reinforcing straptherebeneath having a slotted end projecting beyond its rear end, meansextending through the overlapping slotted ends of the side and rearstraps and securing the sections to the bodv irons, and covers for saidpockets.

8. The combination of a vehicle body, a body iron projecting from thesaid body and having a frusto conical or tapered bore therein, ademountable top having at its bottom a reinforcing strap provided withan aperture, a bushing having a frusto conical or tapered end adapted tobe inserted into the tapered bore of the body iron, and a bolt extendingthrough the bushing and through the aperture in the strap, andconnecting said strap to the body iron.

9. The combination of a vehicle body, a body iron carried thereby andprovided with a frusto conical or tapered bore, a demountable topcomprising panels or sections each having at its bottom a reinforcingstrap provided with an aperture, the apertured ends of the straps beingarranged and adapted to overlap, a bushing having a taiii pered orfrusto-conical upper end adapted to fit within the bore of the bodyiron, and a bolt extending through said bushing and through theapertures in the overlapping ends of the straps and suspending thestraps and the top sections from the said body iron.

10. The combination of a vehicle body, a laterally projecting body ironat each side thereof and provided each with a threaded end, ademountable top having a reinforcing strap at the bottom of each sideand a pocket above said strap adapted to receive the said iron, meansconnecting the strap at each side of the top with the iron in thepocket, and a cover for each of said pockets.

11. The combination of a vehicle body, a

laterally projecting body iron carried thereby and provided with athreaded end, a demountable top having a reinforcing strap at the bottomthereof and a pocket above said strap adapted to receive the said iron,and means connecting the strap with the iron in the pocket.

' 12. The combination of a vehicle body, a laterally projecting ironprovided with a threaded end, a demountabletop for said body havingtherebeneath a reinforcing strap and provided above said strap with apocket for the reception of the iron, said strap being slotted below thepocket, an eye-bolt applied to the iron in said pocket and having ashank projecting through the slot in the strap therebeneath, a nut forthe shank of said eye-bolt, a plate for said pocket having an aperturefor the threaded end of the body iron, and a clamping device for thesaid plate threaded onto the end .of said iron.

13. The combination of a vehicle body, body irons carried by the rearand sides of said body, a demountable top comprising rear and sidesections, said sections being provided each with a reinforcing straptherebeneath, adjustable means for securing the strap of the end sectionand the straps of the side sections to the rear body irons. and meansfor securing the straps of the side sections to the side bodv irons.

14. The combination of a vehicle body, a door in the side thereof, ademountable top comprising a rear end and sides, one of the sidesconsisting of a section adjacent to the rear section, a door section.and a front section, means for securing the door section to the bodydoor, the door section being spaced from the adjacent front side sectionof the top, an extension hinge connecting the door section with suchside section, and pliable material covering the space between the saiddoor section and the front side section.

15. The combination of a vehicle body. a door in the side thereof, ademountable top comprising a rear end and sides, one of the sidesconsisting of a section adjacent to the rear section, a door section,and a front section, means for securing the' door section to the bodydoor, the door section being spaced from the adjacent front side sectionof the top, and an extension hinge connecting the door section with suchside section.

16. The combination of a vehicle body, a door in the side thereof, ademountable top comprising a plurality of separable side sec tions orpanels, one of the said side sections or panels constituting a verticalextension of the door and being secured to and carried by said door, theedge of said section which projects upwardly from the hinged side of thedoo being spaced from the edge ofthe adjacent side section, a hingeconnecting the upper ends of the door section and the adjacent sidesection, said hinge comprising a pair of rods having vertical portionsmounted in sockets carried by the adjacent edges of the door and sidesections, a head threaded on the end of one of said rods and said heads,and a cover of pliable material extending across the space between theadj acent edges of the door and side sections.

17. The combination of a vehicle body, a door in the side thereof, ademountable top comprising a plurality of separable side sections orpanels, one of the said side sectionsor panels constituting a verticalextension of the door and being secured to and carried by said door, theed e of said section which projects upwardly Tom the hinged side of thedoor being spaced from the edge of the adjacent side section, and ahinge connecting the upper ends of the door section and the adjacentside section, said hinge comprising a pair of rods having verticalportions mounted in sockets carried by the adjacent edges of the doorand side sections, a head rotatably mounted on the end of one of saidrods, a head rotatably mounted on the end of the other rod, and apivotal connection between said heads.

18. A demountable top comprising a plurality of vertical panels orsections, a cover for the tops of said sections, said cover beingprovided with dowel pins adapted to enter apertures in the upper ends ofthe sections, metallic straps secured to and depending from the coverand adapted to be secured to the upper ends of the said sections orpanels, and a depending skirt carried by the cover and adapted tooverhang said straps.

19. A demountable top comprising a plurality of vertical panels orsections, a cover for the tops of said sections, metallic straps securedto and depending from-the cover and adapted to be secured to the upperends of the said sections or panels, and a depending skirt carried bythe cover and adapted to overhang said straps.

20. The combination of a' vehicle body and a top removably securedthereto, the top embodying side and end walls, the former having doorand window openings, canopy supporting irons projecting from the body,the walls of the top being provided with recesses opening through thelower edges thereof and adapted to receive the said irons for supportingthe top, the recesses in the side wall being of a width somewhat greaterthan the size of the portions of the irons projecting thereinto,fastening means cooperating with the irons for securing the topremovably in position, and provisions forming closures for the openingsand encompassing the irons.

21. The combination of a vehicle body, and a top removablysecuredthercto, canopy supporting irons projecting from the body, thetopembodying side and end walls having recesses opening through theirlower edges to receive the said irons, said recesses being of a widthsomewhat greater than the portions of the said irons which projectthereinto, closure plates for the recesses, said plates encompassing therespective irons, and fastening means cooperating with the ironsfor'securing the top removably in position, the opening in the platesbeing of a size to closely fit the said irons and less than the width ofthe respective recesses.

22.'The combination with an automobile body having a door equipped witha lock having an upwardly extending actuating arm, of a housingsurmounting said body and equipped with a door surmounting saidfirst-named door, and lock actuating means carried'by said second-nameddoor having connections with said arm and serving to actuate the lock ofsaid first-nameddoor through the medium of said arm.

23. The combination of a vehicle body provided with a door having aninside latch operating lever, a demountable top or housing provided witha door panel adapted to be connected with the door of the vehicle body,and latch operating means comprising a lever pivoted to the demountabletop whose inside end is provided with a removable connection with saidinside latch operating lever.

24. The combination with a Vehicle body provided with a door having aninside latch operating lever, of a demountable top or housing providedwith a door panel adapted to engage with the door of the vehicle body,and latch operating means comprising a lever pivoted to the door panelof said demountable housing and having a bifurcated inner end adapted tobe removably engaged with the latch operating lever.

25. The combination with a vehicle body provided with a door having aninside latch operating lever, of a demountable top or operating meansmay be removed with the 1 housing having a door panel adapted to bedemountable top. attached to the door of the vehicle body, In testimonywhereof, I hereunto affix my and latch operating means comprising asignature in the presence of two Witnesses. member adapted to oscillatewith respect to the door panel of the demountable top and THOMAS SWAN.carried by such door panel, the said mem- Witnesses:

her having a detachable connection with the J. B. HULL,

latch operating lever so that the said latch BRENNAN B. WEST.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

